With notes of golden delicious apples and white peaches highlighted by hints of honeydew melon, toasty oak and cedar, the 2012 Isolation Ridge Chardonnay is light-bodied, very crisp and a little green and under-ripe in the mouth. The oak is quite prominent and somewhat masks the fruit and defines the finish. Drink it now to 2017.Lisa Perrotti-Brown, eRobertParker.com #208 Aug 2013

Craiglee is owned and operated by the Carmody family; Pat Carmody farms sheep and cattle as well as grapes on his property which was a successful 19th century vineyard site. He is about as far removed from the typical New World winemaker as you could imagine, and has a healthy contempt for a fair number of his competitors in the industry. Pat planted vines on the site of the original vineyard in 1976 and processed the first wine in 1979. Today he continues to make wine from estate-grown fruit, hand-picked and pruned by himself, his wife Dianne and sons David and Tom.

The 2012 Shiraz offers an intense nose of red cherry, cinnamon, overlaid by hints of spice and cigar box. Medium-bodied with a firm structure and grainy tannins, it delivers plush fruit and a lingering, pepper-laden finish.

This brand new Penfolds label pays homage to Grange founder, Max Schubert. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2012 The Max Schubert Cabernet / Shiraz offers a slowly evolving, complex nose with baked berry, cassis and cedar notes over spice box and earth hints. Medium-bodied with a rock-solid foundation of grainy tannins and refreshing acidity, the muscular fruit is densely packed at this youthful stage, leading to a long if somewhat restrained finish. This is a very promising wine, though I’ve played my score on the conservative side. Lisa Perrotti-Brown. Interim. Sept 2015. The Wine Advocate.

What a wine. The restrained nose merely hints at the mineral profile with an almost saline note and a touch of toast underlying. It is on the palate however, where the wine soars. It has beautiful texture with creamy notes of lees and a lovely fresh lemon profile. The length is incredible, leaving the palate feeling cleansed by minerality. This is focused, pure and fantastic; a superb rival to white Burgundy.Catriona Felstead MW - Buyer

I love this wine. In fact, of a 12-wine top Penfolds tasting (including Grange), it was arguably my favourite. Unusually for Penfolds, it is a single-vineyard expression of (100%) Shiraz and this comes through on its lifted, floral note, reminiscent of Cote-Rotie. Winemaker Peter Gago describes the lavender bushes lining the edge of the Magill vineyard and you can certainly detect their influence here. The nose could almost be mistaken for a Collioure and the dark blackcurrant fruit is mixed with an intriguing hint of elderflower. The palate is juicy but extremely elegant, and the masses of fine tannins are beautifully integrated. Made from fruit from 65 to 70-year-old vines, handpicked on 15th and 16th February 2012, this is a special wine indeed.Catriona Felstead MW - Buyer

Smoke, vanilla and cardamom combine on an intense, intoxicating nose of spices and black fruit. Round and voluptuous palate with a good streak of refreshing acidity and a fine, lingering finish.Fine Wine Team

The first vintage and to date only release of this special cuvée is produced only in the most exceptional vintages and is named for the daughter of the founders and self-confessed Cabernet enthusiast, Vanya Cullen. The fruit for this wine is sourced only from the oldest vines of the Cullen’s own vineyards planted in 1971. Strictly and passionately grown according to organic and biodynamic principles it is this meticulous attention to detail that has produced a wine of extraordinary precision, purity and finesse. Just 3% Petit Verdot supports the Cabernet here whose tell-tale attributes are evident in spades throughout. Masses of cassis, brambles and damson lead an unfurling nose to milk chocolate, café latte and cinnamon. A hit of menthol provides reassurance of the wines unashamed Australian heritage. Layers upon layers of flavour on the palate bound by cool-climate tannins are guarantee if it were needed of this wines long future. An exciting debut of a new Australian icon.Jared Ehret, Private Account Manager

Very deep purple-black in color, the 2012 Amon Ra reveals intense notes of blackcurrant cordial, blackberry compote and licorice with nuances of cloves, allspice, chocolate box and salami as well as a whiff of espresso. The 100% Shiraz palate offers a beast of a wine that is densely packed with black fruit and baking spice flavors and is supported with firm, grainy tannins and crisp acid through to a finish with excellent persistence.97/100 Lisa Perrotti-Brown - eRobertParker.com #211 Feb 2014

the young Ben Glaetzer is establishing a reputation for high quality in South Australia, not only for the wines from his home winery, but also for his brilliant efforts under the Amon Ra and Mitolo labels. These are small volume, artisinal efforts that capture the pure essence of old vine Barossa Shiraz and Grenache.

The Struie is a blend of 44 year old Eden Valley Shiraz vines and 80 year old Barossa Shiraz, the former giving lift and acidity, the latter richness and weight. Struie is almost always my favourite from the range, it always has a focus to it, with stunning pure fruit. The 2012 is no exception, the superb dark berry fruit has a tantalising spicy edge to it with pencil lead and blueberry fruit emerging on the finish. 2018 – 2020+Matthew Tipping, Fine Wine Sales Manager

According to Robert Parker, “Torbreck remains a Barossa Valley benchmark, as well as one of the world’s greatest wine estates.” The wines of Torbreck have a very strong Berry Bros. & Rudd staff following. We whole heartedly agree with Robert Parker (above) and Neal Martin when he says “….this is one of my favourite Australian wines, big and bold like many others, but each wine imbued with its own individuality.”

Torbreck is one of the most iconic estates in Australia and they craft a large yet quality-driven portfolio ranging from the deliciously dry Steading blanc and juicy Cotes du Rhone styled “Cuvee Juveniles” to the vinous colossi that are “RunRig” and “The Laird”. Balance is the key to these wines. This is a quality that often eludes the wines from hotter regions such as the Barossa Valley. With only good soil and middle age vines it is easy to make blockbuster reds in the Barossa; what is very difficult is to make wines with power combined with balance, lift and purity that comes with the very best old vines. It is this balance of power and purity that is the hallmark of Torbreck wines and, quite simply, this is why we like them so much. All the wines are impressive, and the estate deserves all the praise it gets.

Medium to deep garnet/purple, the 2012 Astralis (Shiraz) starts off with complex, meaty and earthy aromas wafting around a core of blackberry preserves, preserved plums, and mulberries with hints of licorice, Chinese five spice and potpourri. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated, the multi-layered flavors have very spicy accents and are framed by ripe, grainy tannins. It has a very long and elegant finish with hints of exotic spices.Robert M. Parker, Jr. - Wine Advocate - eRobertParker.com - Aug 2015

The Garden Gully plantings are 120 years old, making this some of the oldest vine stock in the state. There is a purity to this wine which makes all the sense in the world considering the age of the vines and the careful handling in vinification. Grapes are hand-picked and 50% of them are added as whole bunches, fermented sur gross lie. Maceration is long at 40 days and maturation takes place over ten months in one and two year old hogsheads. Additives are few with only a small amount of sulphur dioxide added pre-bottling.

Tasting this wine in central London I couldn't help but be transported to the Aussie bush. Principal aromas of eucalyptus and earth mix with more exotic scents of berries and violets. On the palate the flavours and textures begin generously but tighten to a grippy, refreshing finish. Terribly easy to drink now but there is no doubt this wine will be drinking exceptionally until 2022.Richard Veal - Australian Wine Specialist

Ares is the flagship Shiraz and represents the very best parcels in each vintage. This wine truly exemplifies the art of barrel selection in the search for the best wine. Before bottling, Michael Twelftree and his winemakers methodically taste through all 1,800 to 2,200 barrels in the winery before making the decision of what should go into the Ares.

“The estate’s Tete de Cuvee. The nose is full of intense macerated morello cherry with hints of cigar box and mocha. The wines is no shrinking violet on the palate either – the wine stains the palate with deep black and blue fruit, the richness is balanced out though with a fine acidity alongside the long and sweet tannic structure. A monolithic wine and yet finely toned.Stuart Rae - Private Account Manager

Rich and yet focused, these Single vineyard offerings brim with blackberry and blueberry fruit. The palate is unctuous but not overwhelming and the background hints at a more savoury, old world sensibility. A lovely persistence on the finish.Stuart Rae - Private Account Manager

St Henri has long been purest expression of Shiraz within the Penfolds range. Its unique quality is the lack of oak (it is aged in very large, over 50-year-old foudres, which imparted their flavours decades ago) allowing the succulent, dark fruit characters to take centre stage. Mouth-coating and concentrated, refined and pure: this has a seam of fine acidity, creating a linear feel across the palate. Perhaps the sweet spot for the European palate? Certainly this was a favourite.Martyn Rolph, Fine Wine Department

This single vineyard wine, located next to the winery. Planted by Dave Powell in 1994 with cuttings of old Run Rig vineyards - some of the oldest genetic material in Australia and the World. A blend of 92% Shiraz and 8% Viognier. Impenetrable, opaque core.

This stands out from Torbreck’s other 2012s in that it has a more singularly fruit focused nose of sweet, rich, dark plum and cherry and some attractive stewed notes in the background. A velvety smooth cloak of chocolate and vanilla hides an almost minty freshness beneath but this is about as close as one can get to Black Forest Gateau in a glass. A decadently delicious Descendant. 2018 – 2025+Peter Newton, Private Account Manager

According to Robert Parker, “Torbreck remains a Barossa Valley benchmark, as well as one of the world’s greatest wine estates.” The wines of Torbreck have a very strong Berry Bros. & Rudd staff following. We whole heartedly agree with Robert Parker (above) and Neal Martin when he says “….this is one of my favourite Australian wines, big and bold like many others, but each wine imbued with its own individuality.”

Torbreck is one of the most iconic estates in Australia and they craft a large yet quality-driven portfolio ranging from the deliciously dry Steading blanc and juicy Cotes du Rhone styled “Cuvee Juveniles” to the vinous colossi that are “RunRig” and “The Laird”. Balance is the key to these wines. This is a quality that often eludes the wines from hotter regions such as the Barossa Valley. With only good soil and middle age vines it is easy to make blockbuster reds in the Barossa; what is very difficult is to make wines with power combined with balance, lift and purity that comes with the very best old vines. It is this balance of power and purity that is the hallmark of Torbreck wines and, quite simply, this is why we like them so much. All the wines are impressive, and the estate deserves all the praise it gets.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2012 Bella's Garden Shiraz has a nose of blackberry preserves and warm cassis with hints of menthol, dark chocolate, cardamom and cedar. Full-bodied and richly fruited in the mouth, the abundant fruit is well matched by firm, rounded tannins and refreshing acid before finishing with great length. Wine Advocate

This is often referred to as 'Baby Grange', as it is matured in ex-Grange barrels, but it is becoming more stylistically similar to its iconic big brother with each vintage. The similarity comes partly from the use of American oak hogshead barrels (40% new, 60% one-year-old) but also from its cellaring potential; Bin 389 and Grange alternate as the No.1 cellared wine in Australia. Made from 54% Cabernet Sauvignon and 46% Shiraz, the wine has a restrained nose of dark blackcurrant and blackberry fruit which mingle with subtle notes of oak. The palate has incredible intensity with glorious layers of concentrated yet juicy, fresh black fruit, complemented by clove spice and vanilla notes of oak. The superb length rolls on and on; this is a phenomenal wine. Drink 2015-2040.Catriona Felstead MW - Buyer

Considered the flagship wine of Torbreck, Run Rig has often drawn comparison with the beautifully fragrant & tautly structured wines produced from the steep slopes of the Northern Rhone Valley’s Appellation of Cote Rotie. Named one of Australia's 25 "benchmark" wines by Wine Spectator magazine. A beautiful and flawless blend of 97.5% Shiraz and 2.5% Viognier.

Opaque, glass staining & serious. An hour decanting lets the aromas flow for this beautifully constructed flagship red. At first, tightly wound but opening up with macerated red cherry, blueberry and a hint of Orange peel and Christmas cake spice. The Palate is unctuous and as full bodied as one would come to expect but still with an incredible lift and freshness on the palate. Tightly bound, svelte tannins with a vibrant black fruited and peppered length that last for 30+ seconds. Cote Rotie turned up to 11 in a very “Spinal Tap–esque” way ! Incredible persistence, a wine for the long term 2020 – 2030+.Stuart Rae, Fine Wine Sales Manager According to Robert Parker, “Torbreck remains a Barossa Valley benchmark, as well as one of the world’s greatest wine estates.” The wines of Torbreck have a very strong Berry Bros. & Rudd staff following. We whole heartedly agree with Robert Parker (above) and Neal Martin when he says “….this is one of my favourite Australian wines, big and bold like many others, but each wine imbued with its own individuality.”

Torbreck is one of the most iconic estates in Australia and they craft a large yet quality-driven portfolio ranging from the deliciously dry Steading blanc and juicy Cotes du Rhone styled “Cuvee Juveniles” to the vinous colossi that are “RunRig” and “The Laird”. Balance is the key to these wines. This is a quality that often eludes the wines from hotter regions such as the Barossa Valley. With only good soil and middle age vines it is easy to make blockbuster reds in the Barossa; what is very difficult is to make wines with power combined with balance, lift and purity that comes with the very best old vines. It is this balance of power and purity that is the hallmark of Torbreck wines and, quite simply, this is why we like them so much. All the wines are impressive, and the estate deserves all the praise it gets.

There are few wines more anticipated than a new vintage of Grange. The nose is extremely primary, reminiscent of a barrel sample from a top producer’s Hermitage. With coaxing the nose yields very dark Asian spices – freshly toasted, with a wonderful underlying musky sweetness. This is extremely luxurious, even on the nose. There is such complexity on the palate that one has to take time to think it through, to understand the many layers of flavour and structure. This is a hugely expansive and broad wine which at the same time has completely effortless grace. The tannins build very finely and the flavours on the palate also change, with sweet coffee and chocolate truffle dust dominating on the finish. Often New World wines can be too “thick” in the mouth and lack a vinous feel, but 2012 Grange has that vinous feel all the way through. For me, this has more polish and charm than the near perfect ’08; a little like the ’09 but with more power which is reminiscent of the ’10 or even ’98. Gary Owen, Fine Wine team